Support for Military Families

Military Families Links offering different types of support

Below is a list of some private and military related links, and a brief description of some of the services they offer, as taken from their web site. Many offer more comprehensive services, and greater details should be sought from their sites.

NOTE: There are over 10,000 web sites devoted to military personnel and their families, and over 30,000 charities for them. This file is only a very small listing, and you are encouraged to look on your own for more that may meet your need.

Air Force Aid Society http://www.afas.org/index.cfm The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) is the official charity of the United States Air Force incorporated in 1942 as a non-profit organization whose mission is to help relieve financial distress of Air Force members and their families and to assist them in financing their higher education goals.

American Corporate Partners www.acp-usa.org Connecting US veterans to business leaders through our two free programs: an online network offering business advice, and a nationwide mentoring program.

American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ It offers the services everyone associates with the Red Cross. However, it also allows military members stationed all over the world to send messages to loved ones back home during an emergency or other important events. These communications are delivered 24/7, every day of the year. There are also nearly 1,000 Red Cross chapters in the United States, on 109 military installations around the world and alongside our troops in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

Armed Services YMCA www.asymca.org Provides free, specialized programs and support services to military service members and their families, with a particular focus on junior-enlisted men and women. Programs include:  Opeation Hero, an afterschool program to help children cope with the challenges of being a military child.  Operation Kid Comfort: free, personalized, hand-made photo quilt program for children of deployed troops.  Emergency Aid: food and clothing assistance  Family & Youth Camps  Free YMCA memberships for qualified families Support for military families 2

 Signature events: Mud run, the Christmas you missed, Father/Daughter dance, and more! Assistance to Army Soldiers & Families during the Iraq War. http://www.aerhq.org/Assistance-to-AER.htm The Army Emergency Relief fund offers assistance as family financial situations are challenged due to increased expenses from separation and other family adjustments as their needs require. Assistance is available to all active duty soldiers and Reserve Component soldiers ordered to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days.

Babysitting and nannies www.sittercity.com/dod SitterCity helps you find experienced baby sitters and nannies in your area. And with features like detailed profiles, background checks, references & reviews, we make the process safe and easy.

If you are a service member in the Army, Marines, Navy, or Air Force (active, reserve or guard), a Sittercity program is funded by the Department of Defense and your membership is available to you at no cost.

Camps: free for ages 7-17 who have lost a parent or sibling www.comfortzonecamp.org Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit 501(c)3 bereavement camp that transforms the lives of children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. The free camps include confidence building programs and age-based support groups that break the emotional isolation grief often brings. Comfort Zone Camps are offered to children 7-17, and are held year-round across the Country. We have offices in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund http://www.childrenoffallensoldiersrelieffund.org/ This organization provides college grants and financial assistance to surviving children and spouses of our U.S. military service members who have lost their lives in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Our financial assistance program assists disabled service member families as well.

Clothing custom made for free for wounded vets www.sewmuchcomfort.org Sew Much Comfort is a nationally recognized non-profit organization providing adaptive clothing free of charge, to wounded service men and women at every military hospital in the United States, Landsthul (Germany) and at Combat Surgical Hospitals overseas. We create and/or adapt clothing to meet the unique needs of the wounded. For many service members the only clothing available is a hospital gown. These gowns are drafty, do not cover properly and are impractical for optimum recovery. By creating custom adaptive clothing, our hope is to make their recovery more comfortable both physically and emotionally. Our clothing gives medical personnel and service members the ability to Support for military families 3 have ready access to their injuries by utilizing the adaptive openings in our clothing. Specially designed clothing permits easy access during their exams and physical therapy, as well as facilitating the difficult process of dressing themselves in their everyday life. Our clothing allows injured service members to easily dress themselves and their clothing appears as normal civilian attire which helps facilitate a more natural and comfortable recovery.

Defense & Veterans Brain Injury Center www.dvbic.org This program, administered jointly by the DoD and VA, has a mission to “serve active duty military, their dependents, and veterans with traumatic brain injury through state of the art medical care, innovative clinical research initiatives, and educational programs.”

Employment www.recruitmilitary.com RecruitMilitary is the top full-service military-to-civilian recruiting firm in the U.S. We use online and offline products to connect employers, franchisers, and educational institutions with men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life, vets who already have civilian work experiences, members of the Guard and reserve forces, and military spouses. We serve vets of all ranks, rates, and branches of the armed forces, and our services are free to all men and women who have a military background.

RecruitMilitary is vet-owned, vet-operated and vet-advised. All of our officers, national account executives and search consultants are either vets or active or former duty reservicsts. As the nation’s leading military-to-civilian recruiting firm, we have established working relationships with industry associations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

Employment www.militaryhire.com Within the MilitaryHire network are the resources and contacts you need to successfully make your initial transition to civilian life and beyond.

Employment: advice on making the transition to civilian work www.gijobs.com

Employment: online career fair for vets and spouses www.veteranscareerfair.com Milicruit was created to address the premise that the traditional military career fair is costly, time-consuming and often times ineffective. Given the large number of veterans currently looking to reenter civilian life, and the large number of employers seeking to hire veterans, we designed milicruit to allow industry leading employers, veterans and military spouses the opportunity to meet and interact in a fully interactive online environment from wherever they may be located.

Some of the benefits of Milicruit include: Support for military families 4

• Veterans get more access to more employers • Employers gain access to veterans they may otherwise miss. • A great screening tool for employers and veterans. • Veterans can attend at their convenience. • Employers benefit from tax advantages of hiring veterans. Provides equal access to the veteran who may have a disability

Family Advocacy Program http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/portal/page? _pageid=73,46033&_dad=itc&_schema=PORTAL§ion_id=20.40.500.260.0.0.0.0.0 &content_id=190538 The Family Advocacy Program (FAP) provides services to troops and family members experiencing domestic abuse and child abuse through prevention efforts, early identification and intervention, support for victims, and treatment for abusers. Everyone is required to report suspected domestic abuse or child abuse to FAP. This link provides a directory of Family Advocacy Program representatives at Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force installations around the world.

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/current_benefits.htm This online guide from the Department of Veteran Affairs informs veterans and their dependents of the variety of federal benefits available.

Emergency Financial Assistance www.operationhomefront.net Operation Homefront provides direct services to alleviate a military family’s or individual’s actual/complete emergency financial burden, as well as counseling and/or recovery support. Emergency financial assistance is in the form of checks paid directly to mortgage lenders, auto mechanics, contractors, hospitals, doctors, dentists and other providers. Other emergency funding assistance, which an applicant receives within 24 to 72 hours, includes the following: • Financial assistance • Emergency food • Emergency home repairs • Critical baby items: formula, food and diapers • Home and appliance repair • Furniture and household items • Local moving assistance • Community events • Wounded Warrior Transitional Family Housing

Financial Assistance www.usacares.org USA Cares provides financial and advocacy assistance to post 9/11 active duty US military service personnel, veterans and their families. We assist all branches of service, Support for military families 5 all ranks and components and treat all with privacy and dignity in appreciation for their service and sacrifice. We never charge fees nor accept repayment and rely on donations from private citizens, businesses and foundations for all funding.

The goal is to help restore financial stability and self-sufficiency by giving “a hand up not a hand out.” Services are free to service men and women and their families without obligation to repay. Financial assistance is not given directly to service members or their families; instead, payments are made to mortgage lenders, utility companies, and other vendors. The objective is to reach families at the earliest stage of intervention to proactively prevent further financial distress.

Contact us at 1-800-773-0387 or [email protected].

Financial Assistance www.unmetneeds.org As a not-for-profit organization, the VFW Foundation receives no government funding. We rely solely on individual donations and corporation sponsorships. Your tax- deductible charitable contribution makes a direct impact on how much help and financial support we’re able to provide our deployed soldiers and their families in their time of need.

Unmet Needs helps ease the unanticipated financial demands on our service members’ families that can’t be taken care of through existing means. It also provides our soldiers with the peace of mind of knowing their families have additional support at home. So join us today in reaching out a helping hand to those who protect our country – and safeguard our freedoms – so bravely.

With your help, the Unmet Needs program can continue to meet basic needs of soldiers and their families such as: • mortgage and rent • home and auto repairs • insurance • utilities • food • clothing

Financial Assistance www.operationfirstresponse.org The mission of Operation First Response, Inc (OFR) is to serve all branches of our nation's Wounded Warriors and their families with personal and financial needs. Services are provided from the onset of injuries or illness, throughout their recovery period and along their journey from military life to the civilian world. Financial aid varies as each case is based on individual needs ranging from rent, utilities, vehicle payments, groceries, clothing, and travel expenses.

Financial Assistance for injured Marines, Sailors, Army, Air Force and USCG Support for military families 6 www.semperfifund.org The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit set up to provide immediate financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. We direct urgently needed resources to post 9-11 Marines and Sailors, as well as members of the Army, Air Force or Coast Guard who serve in support of Marine forces. The Semper Fi Fund (SFF) provides relief for financial needs that arise during hospitalization and recovery as well as assistance for those with perpetuating needs. Our program provides support in a variety of ways including: Service Member and Family Support, Specialized & Adaptive Equipment, Adaptive Housing, Adaptive Transportation, Education and Career Transition Assistance, Therapeutic Arts and Team Semper Fi.

Financial Assistance for families of killed or seriously injured OIF vets www.fallenpatriotfund.org The Fallen Patriot Fund was established to help families of U.S. military personnel who were killed or seriously injured during OIF. Financial resources are vital to enhancing the sustainability of the family unit who has suffered a loss because of their loved one sacrificed himself/herself for freedom.

Fisher Houses www.fisherhouse.org This website offers a number of programs for military families. Among them are Fisher Houses which are for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally within walking distance of the treatment facility, or have transportation available. Cost varies by location. The average charge is under $10. per family per day. Family of service members injured due to service in Iraq or Afghanistan do not pay the daily fee.

GI Bill www.gibill.va.gov This site provides detailed information on the GI bill, such as eligibility and education benefits.

Helmets to Hardhats www.helmettohardhats.org Helmets to Hardhats is the fastest way for Military, Reservists & Guardsmen to transition from active duty to a career in the construction industry.

Hero Miles www.fisherhouse.org/programs/heroMiles.shtml This program provides free air travel through the donation of frequent flyer miles by others for military personnel undergoing treatment at a military medical center or VA medical center incident to their service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding areas.

Two categories of people can apply to attain free air fare: Support for military families 7

 service personnel with an approved convalescent leave may be given a free round trip airline ticket from the medical center to their home and return if they are not eligible for government funded airfare.  qualifying service personnel may be given free round trip tickets to enable their family or close friends to visit them while they are being treated at the medical center.

Airlines that are participating at this time consist of American, AirTran, Midwest, Northwest, Independence, Delta, US Air, America West, Alaska, and Continental.

Hire a Hero www.hireahero.org The Armed Forces Support Foundation 501 (c)(3) was established in 2006 with a mission to plan, promote, and execute programs to assist members of the United States Armed Forces transitioning back into civilian life.

Today our flagship program Hire A Hero is the premier online job board and community of choice for those who have served our country. Hire A Hero has helped thousands of veterans and their spouses connect to employers who value their service, work ethic and loyalty to our country.

Recognized by by Time magazine (2008), for being one of the top 21 ways to “Fix America” and Infoworld, Magazine (2008) as one of the top 100 website in the world for creative and effective merging of business and technical solutions to veterans; Hire A Hero has over 337,000 registered members and has seen over 2,725,437 absolute Unique Visitors throughout the year.

To learn more about Hire A Hero or other programs please email [email protected]

Hire Heroes USA www.hireheroesusa.org Hire Heroes USA is dedicated to creating job opportunities for US military vets and their spouses through personalized employment training and corporate engagement.

As a 501(c3) not for profit organization, Hire Heroes services are provided at no cost to the veteran.

Homes for Heroes www.homesforheroes.com Our mission is to provide extraordinary savings to local heroes who provide extraordinary services to our community every day. Homes for Heroes® is a company that affiliates with Realtors®, lenders and other real estate-related service providers who offer substantial rebates and discounts to the Heroes who serve our nation and its communities every day. Our Heroes include military personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers and others who make our communities a Support for military families 8 better place to live.

This program was created after the tragic events of 9/11 as a “Thank you” to the men and women who have given so much. Heroes across the country register on our website every day looking for the savings. We match them with Homes for Heroes® Affiliates in their area. Homes for Heroes® is now expanding its discounts beyond the home buying and selling process with our Friends of Heroes® program.

Veterans Home Loans www.homeloans.va.gov

Homes: building specialty adaptations to severely injured troops www.homesforourtroops.org We are Homes for Our Troops, a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2004. We are strongly committed to helping those who have selflessly given to our country and have returned home with serious disabilities and injuries since September 11, 2001. It is our duty and our honor to assist severely injured Servicemen and Servicewomen and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and to coordinate the process of building a home that provides maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently.

The homes provided by Homes for Our Troops are given at NO COST to the Veterans we serve. Note: An eligible Veteran or service member may receive a Veterans Administration Specially Adapted Housing Grant up to a maximum amount of $63,780. Homes for Our Troops’ assistance covers all costs over and above this grant to ensure that the home is provided at no cost to the recipient.

Hope for the Warriors www.hopeforthewarriors.org Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for post 9/11 service members, their families, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Services include care coordination, family support, reintegration services, community outreach, and outdoor adventures.

IAVA: Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America www.iava.org Programs include health, employment, education and community resources.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund www.fallenheroesfund.org Provides financial aid in the form of ‘family grants’ and scholarships for severely wounded vets and their families.

Legal Information & Resources for Military Personnel & their Families Support for military families 9 https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/legal The Judge Advocate General's Corps provides online legal information and resources in such areas as family matters, financial issues (including taxes), insurance, immigration, housing (including landlord-tenant issues), estates, the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act, and consumer and contract issues.

Marine Corps Scholarship Fund www.mcsf.org The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen, with particular attention given to those whose parent has been killed or wounded in combat, or who have demonstrated financial need.

Marine Parents Information, Support & Connections www.marineparents.com Our missing includes three distinct areas:  information: providing reliable resources and information about the USMC  connect and share: providing recruit and Marine family members ‘a place to connect and share’ in support of one another  troop and family support: providing opportunities to support the troops and their families through a multitude of outreach programs

Mental Health Services for Free for Vets and Families www.thesoldiersproject.org The Soldiers Project is a private, non-profit, independent group of volunteer licensed mental health professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, registered nurses and marriage and family therapists.

We provide free counseling and support to military service members who have served or who expect to serve in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan conflicts and to veterans of those conflicts. We see active duty as well as members of activated Reserve or Guard units. In addition, our services are available to the families and other loved ones of service members. We provide help to service members and families struggling with issues related to the overwhelming trauma of war including the cycle from pre-deployment to deployment to homecoming and re-entry to civilian life.

Our services are readily accessible and entirely free of charge. We do not report to any government agency.

877 576 5343 [email protected]

Military HomeFront http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/ “ The official DoD web site for reliable Quality of Life information designed to help troops and their families, leaders and service providers. Whether you live the military lifestyle or support those who do, you’ll find what you need!” Support for military families 10

Our Military Kids www.ourmilitarykids.org Financial grants for children of deployed National Guard and military reserve personnel as well as the children of wounded warriors in all branches of services. The money can be used to pay for sports, fine arts, camps and tutoring program that nurture and sustain children while a parent is away on assignment or recovering from injury.

Military Mental Health Screening www.militarymentalhealth.org An online screening test offered by the DoD is taken anonymously, and screens for problems such as depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, PTSD and bipolar disorder. It is intended for vets affected by deployment in all of the branches including National Guard and Reserves, and their family members. It is meant to identify symptoms before problems become urgent. The site also provides information about mental health and substance abuse services covered by the DoD.

Military OneSource http://www.militaryonesource.mil Providing information and resources to help deal with the unique challenges of military life.

Includes counseling:  face to face  telephonic counseling  international calling options  online counseling  financial counseling  health and wellness coaching  military crisis line (800 273 TALK (8255)  sexual assault support (877 995 5247)

Other services include:  casualty assistance  child abuse and domestic abuse  children, youth and teens  commissaries and exchanges  crisis and prevention  deployment  disaster resources  EFMP/special needs  K-12 and college education  Legal information Support for military families 11

 Money management  Morale, welfare, and recreation  Moving  Non-medical counseling  Parenting  Relationship health & family wellness  Spouse education & career opportunities  Transition assistance  Voluntary education – service members  Wounded warrior

Military Sentinel http://www.consumer.gov/military/ This joint project of the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Defense provides information and resources for consumer protection issues that affect members of the United States Armed Forces and their families, from auto leasing, to identity theft, to work-at-home scams. It also provides an easy, formal way to enter consumer complaints directly into a database that is immediately accessible by over 500 law enforcement organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. These law enforcement agencies use this complaint data to target cases for prosecution and other enforcement measures. The information from Military Sentinel can also be used by members of the JAG staff and others in the Department of Defense to help protect armed services members and their families from consumer protection-related problems.

Military Spouses connect online www.cinc.com CinCHouse.com is the Internet's largest community of military wives and women in uniform. Pronounced 'sink- house', we represent the "Commanders in Chief of the House'. Our members include military girlfriends, fiancees, mothers, wives, and sisters. We also welcome the unique perspective of male military spouses.CinCHouse's mission is to provide timely information, resources, and a community of friends to help you survive the challenges and adventures of military life. Our goal is to help you live the life you want to live within the military community. We also want to prepare our members for success when they leave the military and transition back to civilian life. You CAN do all this while progressing in your career, continuing your education, raising your children and pursuing your dreams.

CinCHouse features articles dealing with various aspects of military life, from dealing with deployments to finding a job. Our extensive forums and chat rooms are filled with military spouses located around the world and online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Military Spouses connect online www.spousebuzz.com SpouseBUZZ is Military.com’s blog for military spouses. It’s a virtual destination where spouses click, connect and share their experiences. The blog features a variety of perspectives as our contributors are affiliated with every branch of the Armed Forces, including Guard and Reserves. When you visit SpouseBUZZ, you can expect to get a Support for military families 12 taste of what it’s like to be a military spouse in a post 9/11 World. SpouseBUZZ offers a glimpse into the lives of modern military families.

Four times per year, the blog comes to life when the SpouseBUZZ contributors visit military installations on their SpouseBUZZ LIVE tours. SpouseBUZZ LIVE is an outgrowth of SpouseBUZZ.com. Military spouses who attend SpouseBUZZ LIVE can expect a day of relaxation, fun and fellowship with other military spouses. SpouseBUZZ LIVE is a one-of-a-kind, high-energy event presented by military spouses, for military spouses. No dull speeches here….

Military Spouse Career Center www.military.com/spouse This site provides job opportunities for spouses of active duty personnel.

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network www.msccn.org Through our employment readiness training and job placements services, along with our Military to Civilian Jobs Network Alliance Campaign, CASY-MSCCN works one-on-one with our employment partners and funding supporters to reduce the rate of unemployment to veterans, National Guard, reservists, and their spouses by preparing them for their job search (translating skills, preparing resumes, interview skills, etc.) while working directly with our corporate recruiters to match these military service members and veterans to jobs that complement and fully utilize their qualifications, experience, and education. Individual programs are also in place to serve homeless female veterans and caregivers to the war-wounded – the extremely underserved military- affiliated applicants who have exceptional difficulty finding employment.Over the past three years, we have served over 8,000 applicants and provided outreach to more than 50,000.

CASY-MSCCN is committed to breaking barriers in employment for those within the military and veteran communities; increasing training, assistance, and employment opportunities for all military-affiliated job seekers; and ensuring our corporate partners fully understand and appreciate the service members’ qualifications and how they perfectly match the skills these organizations need.By pursuing these objectives we will greatly improve the employment hiring numbers for those who have served and the families who support them.

National Center for PTSD http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/index.html The mission of this program, which is within the Department of Veteran Affairs, is to advance the clinical care and social welfare of America's veterans through research, education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and stress- related disorders. They also offer guides for personnel returning from the war, and another for the families.

National Military Family Association Support for military families 13 www.militaryfamily.org Among this organization's primary purposes is to educate military families concerning their rights, benefits and services available to them and to inform them regarding the issues that affect their lives. They also offer a summer camp for kids (Operation Purple). They also provide families with counseling and services to help the uniquely military lifestyle matters of deployment, spouse education, separation, moving and more.

National Personnel Records Center – Military Personnel Records http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html This site is provided for those seeking information regarding military personnel, health and medical records stored at NPRC (MPR). If you are a veteran or next-of-kin of a deceased veteran, you may now use vetrecs.archives.gov to order a copy of your military records. For all others, your request is best made using a Standard Form 180. It includes complete instructions for preparing and submitting requests.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society http://www.nmcrs.org This private non-profit charitable organization is sponsored by the Department of the Navy and provides financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Naval Services of the United States, eligible family members, and survivors when in need.

Navy SEAL Foundation www.navysealfoundation.org Provides family services, financial support, educational programs, and activities for both active duty and veteran SEALs, special warfare combatant crewmen, Naval special warfare support personnel, and their spouses and children.

Operation Family Fund http://www.oeffamilyfund.org/ This program provides financial grants for immediate or long-term needs to the Families of soldiers who have been killed or severely disabled as part of the world wide war on terrorism.

Operation Homefront www.OperationHomefront.net Operation Homefront provides direct services to alleviate a military family’s or individual’s actual/complete emergency financial burden, as well as counseling and/or recovery support. Emergency financial assistance is in the form of checks paid directly to mortgage lenders, auto mechanics, contractors, hospitals, doctors, dentists and other providers. Other emergency funding assistance, which an applicant receives within 24-72 hors, includes the following:

 financial assistance  emergency food  emergency home repairs  critical baby items: formula, food, and diapers Support for military families 14

 home and appliance repair  furniture and household items  local moving assistance  community events  Wounded Warrior transitional family housing

Operation Military Support http://www.operationmilitarysupport.com/ “We receive names of men and women who do not receive regular mail from home and connect them with volunteers who want to boost the spirits of military personnel. This will ensure that they can do their best with confidence that we in the United States are appreciative of them for keeping peace throughout the world. They are doing the job they are asked to do and we support them for serving.”

Operation Uplink http://www.operationuplink.org/ This program keeps military personnel and hospitalized veterans in touch with their families and loved ones by providing them with a free phone card.

Operation USO Care Package http://www.uso.org/pubs/93_325_1391.cfm This United Service Organizations (USO) program enables individuals to financially support care packages that will be delivered to service members en route to overseas destinations. . . . Operation USO Care Package is approved by the Department of Defense, and provides a safe, easy way for individuals and corporations to show their prayers and thoughts are with our service members. . . . The Care Packages contain an assortment of items specifically requested by the military, such as prepaid international calling cards, disposable cameras, toiletries, and sunscreen.

“Reaching out is a sign of strength” Information for active duty, Guard/Reserve, vets, families, and professionals. www.realwarriors.net The Real Warriors Campaign is a multimedia public awareness campaign designed to encourage help-seeking behavior among service members, veterans and military families coping with invisible wounds. Launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) in 2009, the campaign is an integral part of the Defense Department’s overall effort to encourage warriors and families to seek appropriate care and support for psychological health concerns.

To reach the broadest audience possible, the campaign features a variety of strategies including outreach and partnerships, print materials, media outreach, an interactive website, mobile website and social media. The campaign features stories of real service members who reached out for psychological support or care with successful outcomes, including learning coping skills, maintaining their security clearance and continuing to succeed in their military or civilian careers. These Real Warriors are proving through example that reaching out is a sign of strength that benefits the entire military community. Support for military families 15

In addition, the campaign encourages use of the DCoE Outreach Center, a 24/7 call center staffed by health resource consultants to provide confidential answers, tools, tips and resources about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The Outreach Center can be reached by calling 866-966-1020, connecting through live chat or emailing [email protected].

Military crisis line for service members, vets and their families: 800-273-8255, press ‘1’.

Scholarships for Military Children www.militaryscholar.org The program is intended for those children who have a mother or father who are in active duty, reserve/guard, or retired military personnel. Or, if you are the survivor of a deceased member, and you have a military dependent ID card. You must be planning to attend a college or university on a full-time basis.

Scholarships for children and spouses of Gulf War era members killed or severely wounded in combat. www.foldsofhonor.org Through scholarships and other assistance, we’re giving back to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country. We’re providing healing, hope and an opportunity to realize their dreams with the help of people like you.

Seamless Transition Home www.seamlessstransition.va.gov This the VA’s main website for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. You can locate your local VA through this page.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation www.specialops.org Provides scholarships and family counseling to the children of special operations personnel who die in the line of duty, and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors http://www.taps.org/ TAPS is a national non-profit organization made up of, and providing services to, all those who have lost a loved one while serving in the Armed Forces. The heart of TAPS is our national military survivor peer support network. We also offer grief counseling referral, case worker assistance and crisis information, all available to help families and military personnel cope and recover. We provide these services 24 hours a day free of charge. Support for military families 16

Treats for Troops www.treatsfortroops.com

Treats for Troops was founded in early 2003 by Denver business woman Deborah Crane, who was determined to make it safe and simple for every American to send packages and messages of support to our men and women in uniform year round.

Since the Treats for Troops Gift Shops opened in June of 2003, friends, family members, groups, organizations and individual sponsors have sent over twenty tons of treats to American soldiers through Treats for Troops.

Friends and family members tell us they love shopping in our Gift Shops, where they can choose from dozens of themed packages or hundreds of individual items, all selected after lots of input from soldiers and family members.

Individuals, organizations and groups who don’t personally know anyone in the military, but want to show their support can sponsor soldiers through our unique Foster-A-Soldier Program. Sponsors can choose their soldiers by branch of service, home state or gender.

Companies who are proud of our soldiers and would like to help us make sure packages are going out all year long can be part of our customized Corporate Sponsor Program.

We invite you to spend some time on our Web site, where you can read thank you notes from troops who’ve received packages, browse our Gift Shops, send a package to someone you know, sponsor a soldier, drop into a chat room, read comments from president Deborah Crane, send us your ideas and catch up on all the latest news and events.

Treat the Troops www.treatthetroops.org Treat The Troops was started by Jeanette Cram of Hilton Head Island, SC. She loves to bake cookies for the military men and women serving our country. Her friends, referred to as "Crumbs," help make the batter, pack the cookies, prepare the shipping and customs labels. What began in her kitchen in 1990 during the Gulf War has grown to a nationwide network of committed volunteer "crumbs" who have rallied their friends, businesses and school groups to participate and share in the good feeling of supporting the troops in harm's way.

VA Benefits – obtaining assistance in getting them www.repforvets.com Military veterans seeking benefits often run into months and even years of government forms, medical exams and bureaucratic red tape. It may seem as if those benefits will never come. But disabled veterans who are still fighting for compensation should not give up — the VA-accredited claims agents at The Rep for Vets® offer the help they need. Support for military families 17

Our claims agents represent veterans in the United States in their cases before the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Vet Jobs.Com www.vetjobs.com A full-service job and resume posting site that was founded by two former Navy officers with the belief that “veterans make the best employees.” A completely free service.

Veteran Employment www.veteranemployment.com Working exclusively with Monster.com this site allows you to search for jobs, including those with security clearance.

Vets 4 Warriors (855 VET TALK, 855 838 8255. available 24/7) www.vets4warriors.com Talk on the phone for ongoing support or chat on line, resources, tips for handling stress, referrals (legal, housing, medical, psychological and other needs). We are here to help. We have all served in uniform for the United States Military. Some members of our staff have served in combat missions while others have served in supporting and peace keeping missions. However, we are all Veterans of the United States Military and we are all here to help the men and women who are currently serving or have served in the National Guard and Reserve.

While our mission is to serve military and Veterans, we are a separate organization outside of the military. We are also separate from the Veterans Administration. We don't discuss your calls with the military, the VA, or anyone else; your calls to us are completely confidential and, if you choose, you may remain anonymous.

Our staff will listen and not judge you for anything. If you want to just talk, we will support that. If you need some information, we can help you find it. Our deal is to partner with you on your quest and do our best to help you succeed.

Wounded Warrior Project www.WoundedWarriorProject.org Dedicated to raising awareness of the plight of injured service members, while directing programs and services to meet their need.

Wounded Warrior resource directory: connecting wounded vets, families and caregivers to those who support them. www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov The directory provides access to services and resources at the national, state and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. This includes information on benefits and compensation, education & training, employment, family & caregiver support, health, homeless assistance, housing, transportation & travel. Support for military families 18

Updated as of 12/23/12